Jo & Laurie Quotes

“Laurie had grown up learning how to love her. It was the only lesson he was ever any good at, because Jo herself had taught him, even if she hadn’t known she was doing it. She had made him.”
― Margaret Stohl, Jo & Laurie

“Being poor doesn’t make anyone wonderful, just like being rich doesn’t.”
― Margaret Stohl, Jo & Laurie

“Because, while life is not fair, it is logical.”
― Margaret Stohl, Jo & Laurie

“He took another breath. 'Because I love you, Josephine March. I always have, and I always will. I think you know that, because I think you love me, too. I read your book, Jo. It's all in there. The two of us. We're meant to be together.”
― Margaret Stohl, Jo & Laurie

“Of course I read your book,' said Laurie, looking aghast at the very idea that he had not. 'I loved it, just as I love everything you do. You're a beautiful writer.”
― Margaret Stohl, Jo & Laurie

“His melodies come from the heartache...Perhaps all melodies do.”
― Margaret Stohl & Melissa de la Cruz, Jo & Laurie

“You're magic,' he said simply. His eyes had locked on hers, and she found she could not look away. 'I've said it before. You're a magic person, Jo. I sometimes think you might be. . .an enchantress.”
― Margaret Stohl, Jo & Laurie

“Losing is part of having, my love.”
― Margaret Stohl & Melissa de la Cruz, Jo & Laurie

“Love each other, my dears. Remember that. In the end, there is little else that matters.”
― Margaret Stohl & Melissa de la Cruz, Jo & Laurie

“He wanted adventure. Passion. He wanted Jo.”
― Margaret Stohl & Melissa de la Cruz, Jo & Laurie

“Jo knew how it felt to be in a room with other people but to still be utterly alone. To be lost to herself in a world only she knew existed. To rejoice in the thrill of it, to dread the end of it. To feel the guilt and the fear that nothing in the world of the living might ever again feel so true, or some so close.”
― Margaret Stohl & Melissa de la Cruz, Jo & Laurie

“Jo wrote not just because she wanted to, which she did, and not just because she needed to earn a wage, which she did, but because she must. Because she needed a way—and a place—to live. Despite the darkness. Even if only a castle in the air.”
― Margaret Stohl, Jo & Laurie

“The very rich and the very poor have so much in common... no one expects them to conform to social niceties. It’s only those of us in the middle who must constantly prove our worth to both sides.”
― Margaret Stohl, Jo & Laurie

“I will not weep, she thought. I will not I will not I will NOT.
I had my chance.
Laurie asked me first.
He loved me first.
But I let him go, and I don't deserve him.
I didn't want him then, and I don't want him now.
Not now. Not ever.
But Jo, of all people, knew a story when she heard one. Especially when the ending had been gotten so wrong.”
― Margaret Stohl, Jo & Laurie

“Except, wasn't this love, also? Showing up when you were needed, without being asked?”
― Margaret Stohl & Melissa de la Cruz, Jo & Laurie

“Was the ball a terrible bore?'
'You weren't there, Jo.' He shrugged. 'Of course it was. You know I'd rather be here with you. More than anywhere.'
She squeezed his fingers hard, her face shining with excitement. 'I'm so glad,' she said, and for the barest second, his heart lept with hope.”
― Margaret Stohl & Melissa de la Cruz, Jo & Laurie

“The very rich and the very poor have so much in common, Meg thought. No one expects them to conform to social niceties. It’s only those of us in the middle who must constantly prove our worth on both sides.”
― Margaret Stohl, Jo & Laurie

“And in that moment - sitting on the splintering veranda steps of Orchard House, surrounded by Vegetable Valley, looking up at the first and last great love of her life - Josephine March knew precisely what to do. And even more, she knew she was going to do it.
Risk it. Embrace it. Maybe even, one day, lose it.
Love.
It would be her honor and her pleasure to go down with this particular ship. They could be dashed together upon the rocks, sink together to the ocean floor. Only blurry, ink-splotched pages to mark their watery grave.
Because it was always our story.
It just never had the right ending.”
― Margaret Stohl, Jo & Laurie

“Every cell in her body was screaming at her to flee, but every beat of her heart was telling her to stay. And now she knew. She did belong to him, because he belonged to her, and they belonged to each other. There was no wedding vow that needed to be spoken for her to understand that. Even unmarried, even under separate roofs, they belonged together. No suitable wife would ever care for him more.”
― Margaret Stohl, Jo & Laurie

“Was that it? The great risk of belonging to someone else? Someone who could hurt you. Someone who could leave you. Someone you could lose. Someone you could love, and make all those other things a thousand times worse.

Was that why receiving a heart felt like having to give her own away?”
― Margaret Stohl, Jo & Laurie

“Very ursine. Yes, Mr. Bhaer, your old bore. But she returns home to see Beth before she dies, and leaves him in Manhattan. All seems ended, until Amy and Laurie return home...man and...wife.'

Jo looked at him. 'It was about art and music. And Paris. And Rome.'

'I get it." He shook his head, aghast. 'But, Jo.”
― Margaret Stohl, Jo & Laurie

“There are no eyes like those in the whole world, she thought. Eyes like glaciers, like cold northern afternoons. Lapis eyes, blue-sky blue.
She hadn't known how much she loved them.
And that face.
She loved the frown. She loved the furrowed brow. She loved the one irritated eyebrow. She loved the total indifference, the moment one idea or another pushed her temporarily out of his thoughts. She loved it because she loved the sweetness, in the other moments, when he came back to her. The softening, when she came near.”
― Margaret Stohl, Jo & Laurie

“Meg watched her sister stand up straight to buck up her courage. Perhaps no one but a sister would have seen the little tremble in Jo's chin, the hurt in her eyes. Laurie certainly didn't seem to notice. Only Meg felt all the air go out of the room as she realized Jo was very close to tears - that in another minute they would have a scene on their hands, and it would all come out at last.

Instead, Jo said, 'Congratulations, Laurie. I hope you're very happy together.' And she ran up the stairs and away before he could say another word.”
― Margaret Stohl, Jo & Laurie

“Love was madness, was foolish, was senseless. Love was a problem, and yet somehow the loss of it was a worse one. Love made normal things, sensible things, make no sense at all.

It made Meg almost refuse a good man who loved her.

It made their mama give all their bread to the Hummels and wait forever for a chaplain husband who was practically a ghost.

It made Amy and Poppet speak in their own private language, the language of long-lost and now-reunited twins, shipwrecked together in the seas of some faraway world.

It made familiar things terrifying, and terrifying things familiar.

It burned the wings off moths, sending them headlong into the flame.

There was no escape, no recovery, no happy ending. You loved and you lost. Your heart beat and the beating left it bruised beyond recognition. You could feel it, or try not to feel it, or long for it, but you didn't get to keep it.

It didn't matter how, or even why. He loved you or he didn't. She died or she didn't. He left or he didn't.

In the end, you were always the loneliest person in the world, no matter who you were. Because that was what love was, the very raggedy edge of that feeling, the coming or the going of it. There was nothing else.

Only shadows.”
― Margaret Stohl, Jo & Laurie

“What a bunch of rot,' Jo exclaimed, snatching the letter out of Meg's hand. 'I won't marry Jo to Laurie for anything! Especially not to please anyone!'

'Certainly not yourself,' Meg muttered.

'What?'

'Nothing, dear.”
― Margaret Stohl, Jo & Laurie

“How could she not understand? First, she had believed he was in love with Meg! Next thing he knew, she would be marrying him off to Amy or some other such rot. He shuddered.”
― Margaret Stohl, Jo & Laurie

“Amy sulked. 'And they're not even talking about anything. They never are. Just loads and loads of nonsense.'

Meg patted her sister's arm. 'Only they know what they're talking about, Amy, but I do believe - in their own way - it's not nonsense.'

'Shipwrecks and sunken manuscripts and Jo's Venetian?!' Amy looked at Meg, confused. 'If that's not nonsense, what is it?'

Meg circled her arm affectionately around her little sister's slender shoulders. 'He's Jo's Cherry King, don't you see?'

'I do,' said Amy. 'But does she?”
― Margaret Stohl, Jo & Laurie

“Laurie, you're hopeless.'

It was only then that she saw the twinkling in his eye and realized he was teasing her.

She blushed. 'You're teasing. You're awful. A horrible bore.'

He winked. 'At least I'm not a cabbage. At least I'm not Professor Bore.'

'At least that,' she said, smiling into her tea. 'Odious fellow.”
― Margaret Stohl, Jo & Laurie

“You're the writer,' he repeated, thought he didn't move his hand away. How strange it felt, the growing warmth pressing through the cold, cold water. So comfortable and familiar and welcome, and yet...and yet...”
― Margaret Stohl, Jo & Laurie

“Amy stuck out her chin. 'I want Laurie.'

'You can't have Laurie,' Meg said. 'It doesn't work in the narrative. You and Laurie don't even like each other all that much.”
― Margaret Stohl, Jo & Laurie